


Secret Letters

by thatwriterlady



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Broken Date, Castiel Likes Dean Winchester, Castiel in Lingerie, Dean steps in, First Kiss, Fluff, Hidden By The Trench Coat Fic Challenge, M/M, Secret Crush, Sweetness, Valentine's Day Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-09
Updated: 2017-02-09
Packaged: 2018-09-23 00:42:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,711
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9632072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwriterlady/pseuds/thatwriterlady
Summary: Dean comes back from his classes to find an envelope had been shoved under his dorm room door.  It contained a love letter not meant for him, and a rather intimate picture.  To his shock he realizes he knows the man in the picture.  It's his long time crush, Castiel.  Without a way to get the picture back to the man, he decides to crash his date, since the man Castiel had invited wasn't coming.  It could go one of several ways.  Too bad he won't know until he gets there.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is one of the half dozen challenges I've been working on. I hope you all like it. Enjoy!

[](https://www.pizap.com/image/707476471pizapw1486602311.jpg)   


 

 

The note was lying on the floor a few feet past the door.  Someone must have come along and shoved it under there, and they’d made sure no one else was going to be able to reach under and grab it.  He bent down to pick it up.  In a clean font, written on the front were the words:

 

_“To My Valentine”_

 

Dean cocked an eyebrow as he closed the door.  Last he’d checked he wasn’t seeing anyone, so he was fairly certain he didn’t have a Valentine.  Curious, he turned the envelope over and opened it.  The paper inside was stiff, and he soon realized why.  There was a picture tucked between the folds of a piece of what looked to be some kind of expensive writing paper. 

 

_“You’ve been avoiding me, and I wish I knew why.  I’m hoping this will interest you enough to call me back.  I was thinking we could do dinner on Valentine’s Day.  I rented a hotel room, but we don’t have to go back there if you don’t want to.  I really just want to talk.  If you won’t call me, will you at least meet me for dinner that night?  Che Rose.  Reservation set for 7 p.m.  I’ll be waiting. It’s formal.”_

 

_Yours,_

 

_Cassie_

 

Dean pitied this chick.  Who was she even looking for?  His roommate Balthazar had transferred just the week before to Massachusetts State University and hadn’t left a forwarding address.  Just up and moved away after abruptly announcing he planned to propose to his longtime girlfriend, who was going to school there.  One day he and Balthazar were kicking back, watching shitty karate movies together, the next he was packing his things and saying he was leaving to go be with her.  Dean hadn’t thought much about it.  He wondered if this was the girlfriend.  He turned the picture over.

 

“Holy shit!” he blurted.  This wasn’t some chick; this was a guy!  Dressed in sexy lingerie.  Posing on a bed.  And he was _fucking HOT_!  It took a moment for his blood to stop trying to redirect to his crotch and head north to his brain again.  Once he could think clearly, he realized he _knew the guy_!  Shit.  Was Balthazar banging this guy?  Or was this stuck under the wrong door?  He was still considering these questions as he looked the picture over.  Cassie.  Dean was trying to recall his real first name.  The guy had been the TA for all his psych classes the first three years he’d been here, but he didn’t have any last year or this year.  This year he was catching up on history and his electives mostly.  He wracked his brain for a first name as he made sure the door was locked and moved over to his bed.  The guy was absolutely gorgeous, and he felt a little thrill over the fact he had actually gotten to see that beauty up close and in person.  He was the reason Dean had taken every freaking psych course the school even offered, despite that not being the field he was going into. 

 

Novak had been the guy’s last name.  Dean had called him Mr. Novak, even though the guy was just a few years older than him.  It was the first name he was trying to recall.  Then it hit him: _Castiel Novak_.  The man looked infinitely different when dressed in a sweater, dress shirt and tie than he did like this, in pink satin, black lace, stockings and a goddamn _garter belt_.  He was hard too, leaking against the black lace panties that barely contained his cock.  Dean had fantasized about this man almost his entire college career, wondered if he was seeing anyone, or if he was even into guys.  And even though he hadn’t seen him in probably a year, he was still at the forefront of most of his maturbatory thoughts.  Considering this dorm was all men, he had to assume that Castiel knew he was slipping this under the door for another man.  So that answered one of his questions.  But seeing as he didn’t know who the man’s valentine was, he couldn’t say for sure whether the man was single or seeing someone.

 

A thought came into his head.  Balthazar sure went out a lot for a guy with a girl he’d been dating for six years and swore he was going to marry.  Could he have been cheating?  The thought made him mad.  While he didn’t know Castiel well, he knew the man was nice, thoughtful, and friendly towards everyone who stopped to talk to him.  Dean had stopped to talk to him a few times regarding papers he was working on, and Castiel always made the time for him.  So what if he didn’t _really_ need to talk to the man.  Castiel was the most beautiful creature he’d ever seen, and considering he’d dated some pretty hot people, that was saying a lot.  Bright blue eyes, dark messy hair, full lips that he’d had so many dreams about (and ok, yeah, maybe he had masturbated thinking about them wrapped around his own cock once or fifty times), and a smile that could light up a room.  If Balthazar had been seeing Castiel, he hadn’t mentioned it.  In fact, Dean didn’t even know he swung both ways.  But if he _had_ been seeing him, then he felt bad for Castiel because the guy didn’t seem to know that Balthazar was long gone, and he wasn’t coming back.  Dean wondered if he knew about the girlfriend.

 

This was a messy situation and he wanted no part of it, but the idea that Castiel would be sitting at some restaurant on Valentine’s Day, waiting, so hopeful that Balthazar would show up, it actually made his heart hurt.  Someone needed to tell the man.  Unfortunately, it was Friday.  Valentine’s Day was Tuesday.  He had no idea how to locate the guy, so he made the decision that come Monday, he would head over to the psych building and try to track the man down.  Castiel deserved to know the truth.

 

**♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋**

 

By Monday, Dean’s dick hurt.  He was somewhat ashamed that he had gotten off at least a dozen times to Castiel’s picture.  It was something he would vehemently deny if he ever happened to be accused of it.  He tucked the picture and the letter back into the envelope and during his afternoon free period, he made his way over to the psych building.  The first professor he saw was one of his first-year ones, Dr. Michael Milton, and he knew Castiel had been the man’s TA before.

 

“Dr. Milton!”  He hurried to catch up with the man who had stopped to see who had called his name.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Hey, uh, I had you my first year, but I’m actually looking for one of your TAs.  Not sure if he’s still yours or not.  Castiel Novak?  I need to speak with him about something,”  Dean said.

 

“Oh, no, Castiel graduated last year.  He has a teaching position at one of the community colleges a few towns over.  I can’t remember which one.  Was it terribly important?” the professor asked.  Dean was at a loss now.  He had no way to get a hold of the man.

 

“No, I guess not.  Thank you.” 

 

“You have a good afternoon.”  Dr. Milton smiled before turning and walking away.  Dean touched the envelope that was tucked into his inner jacket pocket and wondered what he should do next.  There was no way to reach the man without searching every college in a hundred mile radius, and really, with his classes and the amount of homework he had, there just wasn’t the time to do that.  Especially when it was already after three.  Most schools were already out for the day.  Tomorrow was the only time he would have, but he didn’t have a free period on Tuesdays.  He had classes from 9 a.m. to 4:30 because he was doubling up his classes to graduate a semester early.  There was only one solution that he could see.

 

He’d have to show up at the Che Rose place and break the news in person.

 

**♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋**

 

“No, really, you don’t have to go down there and break the news in person.  You don’t owe him anything,”  Charlie argued.

 

“That’s pretty messed up, Char.  He’s going to be sitting there all hopeful, waiting for a man that’s never going to show up.  It’s _Valentine’s Day_.  I may not be the biggest romantic in the world, but even I know that getting left high and dry on the most romantic day of the year is painful.  And he’s so nice.  He doesn’t deserve that,”  Dean argued right back.  She looked over the top of her anthropology book at him.

 

“You know him?”

 

“Well, yeah.  He was the TA for all my psych classes the first three years.  I’ve talked to him a few times.  He’s about the nicest guy you could ever meet,” he replied.

 

“That’s really sucky of Balthazar to not even tell him he was moving away, if they were actually dating.  If Balth was using him, that’s a dick move.”  She lowered the book and nibbled thoughtfully on her lower lip.  “To think people actually do stuff like that; it’s awful.”

 

“Exactly what I’m saying.  I’ve had it done to me.  It hurts worse than if the person just comes up and says they’re not interested anymore, and they break up with you.  Being left waiting on someone that never shows up, that’s a special kind of pain I wouldn’t wish on anyone.”  Dean didn’t want to think about Cole.  It had taken him a long time to stop being so damn bitter over getting stood up on their two-year anniversary.  Asshole.

 

“Ok, so say you go down there.  What are you going to say?” she asked.

 

“Well, first I’m going to return his letter.  It wasn’t addressed to a specific person, so I didn’t know not to open it.  But it’s personal, and he deserves to have it back.  Second, I’m going to tell him the truth.  Balthazar has a girlfriend that he had moved closer to be near because he was planning to propose.  He talked about Hannah constantly and about how they were going to spend their lives together.  I believed he was really in love with her.  But if he was banging Castiel on the side and the guy has no clue about Hannah, he may be waiting to pour his heart out to a man who doesn’t love him back.  And he won’t get closure if I don’t say something.  It’s not like I can stop by his class anymore.  He graduated and doesn’t student teach here anymore.”  Dean chewed on the pen cap as he thought.  “Do you think I need to dress up?”

 

“Well, that’s a really classy restaurant.  I’d at least put on a suit or they might not let you in the door,” she said. 

 

“Yeah, ok.  God, I feel so bad for the guy.”  He frowned as he thought about how Castiel might take the news tomorrow night.  Was the guy going to spend hours primping and making himself look good (not that he had to work hard to do that, he was already drop dead gorgeous), only to have his heart broken? 

 

“Well, you’re going to let him know it’s not his fault.  Break it to him gently,” she told him.  He nodded.

 

“I intend to.”

 

**♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋♋**

 

He was going to be sick. The closer it got to 7 p.m., the more Dean’s stomach twisted up into knots.  Charlie had helped him select a suit at an on-campus thrift store after he had confessed that the best he could do was jeans and a dress shirt, and now he was standing in front of the mirror adjusting his tie.  He had to confess, he looked damn good.  The suit fit like a glove and didn’t look to have been worn more than once or twice.  It was probably something someone had bought for graduation and then donated.  Charlie had brought a rose to tuck into his pocket as a boutonniere, but he’d told her no.  This wasn’t a date (even if he desperately wished it was), so no roses, no candies, none of the holiday expectations.  Just Dean, dressed formally for the first time since his high school graduation, coming to deliver news that would most likely ruin the guy’s entire night.  He felt awful about that, but he stuck to his guns. 

 

He made the drive to the restaurant in just under a half hour.  The roads were bad, it was snowing again, and the quiet outside left him with time to think. Was he doing the right thing here?  He hoped to God he was.  Charlie seemed to think he was, and so did his friend Benny when he told him.  Of course Benny had also seen a bit through him and teased that he wanted to go down and do it in person in hopes that Castiel would be so thankful that he’d ask Dean to stay and make it a real date.  Dean had blushed furiously but no matter how much he’d denied it, Benny hadn’t believed him.  Hell, he hadn’t believed himself.  But here he was, sitting in the parking lot at 7:15 trying to work up the nerve to go inside. 

 

The cold was what eventually got him moving.  He had opted to take his knee-length, black, wool coat instead of his leather jacket.  In his mind, it made him feel classier and more mature.  He hoped it made him look more adult, and like someone Castiel would see as his peer instead of as just another broke college kid.  Taking a deep breath, he entered the restaurant.

 

It was busy, but that was not surprising, given the day.  He looked around, but Castiel was not one of the people waiting.  That meant he’d already been seated.

 

“Do you have a reservation?” a woman with a tablet in hand asked him.

 

“Uh, sort of?  Castiel Novak.”  His stomach tightened as the name left his mouth, and he waited to see if she had the name in her system.  When she looked up and smiled, he knew she did.

 

“The other half of your party is already here.”  She motioned for him to follow her.  His feet dragged, but he managed to get one foot in front of the other as they weaved through the waiting crowd.  He slid his coat off, as suddenly he felt very hot, and let her lead him.

 

“There you go,” she said once they had reached a cluster of tables and pointed to where Castiel was sitting.  God he looked good.  His wild hair was tamed somewhat, and he was dressed in a light gray suit with a pink tie.  On anyone else he might have teased them for wearing that color, but it was almost the same shade as his perfect lips, and looked absolutely amazing on him.  He wasn’t even looking up.  Instead, he was fidgeting with the single rose held delicately between his fingers.  Taking a deep breath to steady himself a bit, Dean approached the table.

 

“C-Castiel?”

 

The blue eyes that lifted to look at him were wide and somewhat surprised.

 

“Yes?”

 

“You probably don’t remember me.”  Dean looked down at the coat folded over his arms, feeling the embarrassment he’d been in denial of up until this point.

 

“Oh, but I do.  Dean…Winchester, right?  You were in several of the psych classes I taught.”

 

Dean licked his lips nervously.  This was the moment.  He reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and pulled out the envelope.  Slowly he extended his hand.

 

“I thought it would be kind of shitty if you just sat here and realized he wasn’t coming.  This was for Balthazar, right?”

 

Confusion came over the man’s face as he reached for the envelope.

 

“Did he send you?”

 

“N-no.  Um, I saw it under the door to my dorm room, and you didn’t put an actual name on it, so I didn’t know it wasn’t for me, and…I opened it.  I’m so sorry,”  Dean apologized.  Castiel stared at the envelope for a long time before setting it down on the table. 

 

“How do you know he’s not coming?  Did he tell you that?”

 

Dean sighed.  “Can I sit down for a minute?  So I can explain and not draw unwanted attention.”

 

Castiel motioned towards the seat across from him, and Dean lowered himself down into it.

 

“No, he did not.  He, uh…”  Dean scratched at his jaw.  This part was going to suck.  “He’s gone.  Moved to Massachusetts last week.”

 

Castiel looked genuinely shocked.  “He…what?!”

 

Dean leaned forward and dropped his voice so no one at the surrounding tables would hear.

 

“He, uh, went to be close…to his girlfriend.  He told me he was planning to propose.  I didn’t even know he was leaving until I came back to the room and his stuff was packed.  And he didn’t leave any forwarding info.  I don’t know if you knew about her or not.”

 

The crestfallen look on Castiel’s face told him he definitely did _not_ know about Hannah.

 

“I’m so sorry.”  Dean knew he didn’t need to apologize, but he couldn’t help it.  Castiel swallowed hard and looked down at the envelope.  He winced.

 

“Oh, you saw…”

 

Dean covered his own face with one hand.  He knew his cheeks were tinged pink, but there was nothing he could do about it.

 

“I, um, thought the card was for me.  I assumed Balth would have told whoever he needed to that he was leaving.  Guess I should have known better since he didn’t even tell me until the day he left.”

 

Castiel picked the envelope up again and held it in both hands.

 

“He’s really gone.  He’s…engaged?”

 

“Her name’s Hannah.”  Dean said lamely.

 

Castiel was quiet for a moment.  Dean counted it as a win that he wasn’t crying.  At least, he _hoped_ it was a win.  After a few minutes a bitter laugh slipped past his lips.

 

“He told me he was gay.”

 

Dean huffed out a laugh of his own.

 

“He told me he was straight.”

 

They looked at one another for a moment before Castiel finally sighed.

 

“Fucking asshole.  He started this, you know.  Flirted, asked me out.  We were dating on and off for a few weeks, then he dropped off the face of the planet.  Guess now I know why.”

 

A waiter appeared, a happy smile on his face.

 

“Can I get you something to drink?  A bottle of champagne, maybe?  Or wine?”

 

Dean was about to open his mouth, to excuse himself and leave, but Castiel was nodding at the waiter.

 

“Champagne.  Please.  Something nice.  I don’t know much about it, so I’ll leave it up to you.”

 

The waiter nodded before heading towards the kitchen.

 

“I just came down to give you that news.  I felt it would have been a dick move on my part if you sat here waiting and not knowing.  I’ll let you be then,”  Dean said awkwardly.  He started to get up, but Castiel reached out and touched his hand.

 

“Please.  Do you have somewhere to be?  Is there someone waiting for you?”

 

Dean lowered himself back down into the chair and shook his head.

 

“No, no one.”

 

“How does dinner sound then?  I’m not your professor now.  It’s not too awkward, is it?”  Castiel’s eyes were wide, hopeful, and Dean really, really wanted to stay.

 

“N0, i-it’s not awkward.  I’d like to stay.”  He set his coat over the back of his chair and turned back around to face Castiel, who was watching him.

 

“So, you were his roommate?”

 

Dean nodded.  “Yeah.  For most of this year.  Until he up and left, that is.  I don’t have one now.”

 

“He never told me he even had a roommate.  I suppose that’s why we never went back to his dorm.”  Castiel shook his head, seeming to chase those thoughts away before focusing solely on Dean.  “How much longer do you have now?” 

 

“I’m in my last semester, actually.  I’m graduating early.  Doubling up my classes to get out of there sooner,”  Dean replied.

 

“You took all of the psych classes I was TA in,”  Castiel said.  Dean blushed and looked down at his hands.

 

“I, uh, yeah.  I…like the subject matter that was covered.”

 

Castiel tilted his head, and Dean got the feeling he was being studied.

 

“I can’t remember your major.  But I’m fairly certain it wasn’t psychology.”

 

Dean rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous gesture from his childhood.

 

“And you’d be right.  I’m an education and mathematics major.  I did consider adding psychology though.”

 

Castiel’s smile didn’t quite reach his eyes.

 

“How well did you know Balthazar?”  he asked.  Dean shrugged.

 

“I don’t know.  About as well as one can know their roommate?  We usually only saw one another in passing since we had different classes.  He was working on a different degree than me.”

 

“You’re working on your BA?”  Castiel said. 

 

Dean got this a lot.  He had graduated high school at sixteen and had been working hard towards his degrees ever since.  He’d completed his BS within eighteen months and then started on the first of his Masters degrees, in education. His brother had told him to keep going, so he’d gotten a second one in mathematics before moving on to his doctorate in science, which was what he was finishing up now.  By May he would officially be Dr. Dean Winchester.  It would be a first in his family.

 

“Uh, no.  I’m working on my doctorate.”

 

There was interest on Castiel’s face now rather than sadness.  He set the envelope aside and folded his hands on the table.

 

“May I ask how old you are?”

 

Dean fought the urge to roll his eyes.  He got this a lot too.

 

“I’m twenty one as of last month.”

 

Castiel’s eyes widened.  “And you’re already on your doctorate?”

 

“I graduated high school early.  Finished my BS in a little less than eighteen months.  I knocked out my MAs pretty quickly, and now I’m finishing up my doctorate.”  Dean could feel Castiel watching him.  It was awkward.  “I’m not a kid.”  He added, belatedly realizing how childish that sounded.

 

“I never said you were.  I’m simply in awe.  It took me a miserable seven year to get the two MAs I have.  I’m admiring your intelligence.”  Castiel smiled, and this time it reached his eyes.  Dean relaxed a bit and smiled back.

 

The waiter arrived with their champagne, and Dean was glad for what the man had chosen.  Truthfully, this was the first time he’d ever had it.  It wasn’t bad.  The specials were read to them, but they had menus to look through too.  Once they had given their order (Dean was careful not to choose something too expensive.), the waiter left.

 

“I’m twenty-six,”  Castiel blurted once the waiter was out of earshot.  Dean nodded, waiting for there to be a point to that.

 

“Ok?”

 

Castiel chuckled.  He licked his lips and smiled at him.

 

“So that first class you showed up in, I felt guilty because…I found you attractive.”

 

Dean blinked in surprise.  Really?  Castiel had found _him_ attractive?

 

“O-oh.  Uh…well, if we’re doing confessions, you’re sort of the reason I took all those psych courses.  I only needed the first two.” 

 

Castiel’s laughter was beautiful.  “You’re not just pulling my leg here, are you?”

 

Dean quickly shook his head.  “Nope.”

 

“And you understood the material just fine, didn’t you,”  Castiel realized.

 

Dean cleared off the rest of his glass of champagne before finally admitting to it.

 

“Yeah, ok?  I had a stupid crush on you, but I took all the courses you were teaching, so there was nothing left to take.  I figured even if you were into guys, you wouldn’t be interested in me.  People have a bad habit of looking at me and seeing a kid.  I grew up fast though.  I’ve been an adult since I was four and my mother died in a house fire.  I raised my little brother after my father sunk into alcoholism and until my uncle stepped in and got custody of us when I was thirteen.  Even after that I still took care of my family.  It was what I knew best how to do.  I saw my education as a way to take care of them even better.  I will be one of the youngest professors at Kennedy University.  I will teach physics and advanced chemistry to start off.  I am also looking into buying my own condo, or maybe a small house near the university.” He had no idea why he was pouring out his history to this man, but he was feeling a touch defensive.

 

“I don’t see you like that, Dean.  Yes, in the beginning I looked at you like you were another of my students, but you sort of got under my skin more than anyone else.  _I_ didn’t think _you_ were interested.  But you kept showing up in my classes, and I saw the way you were watching me, so I started to think…maybe?  Then you disappeared last year, and I didn’t see you anywhere on campus.  I thought maybe you transferred.”  Castiel was smiling shyly at him, and damn if it wasn’t adorable.

 

“I’ve spent most of this year taking humanities and history classes, and last year was a hell of a lot of science classes.”  Dean held his glass out for more champagne when Castiel offered.

 

“May I ask you one more question?”  Castiel asked.  Dean nodded.

 

“Sure.”

 

Castiel smiled, and Dean was so glad to see those beautiful blue eyes up close and locked on him.

 

“Why did you come all the way down here to tell me?  You could have just called the restaurant.  They would have told me he wasn’t coming.”

 

Dean took a sip of the champagne, wishing it would chase away more of his nerves, but it wasn’t.

 

“Well, for starters?  I had that done to me.  I was dating a guy, we were together two years.  He made plans for us to go out for our anniversary.  I got to the restaurant and sat down to wait.  I was still waiting three hours later.  He never showed up.  I stopped by his dorm, but he went out of his way to ignore me.  That was how I found out he no longer wanted to date me. Hurt like a bitch, and getting ditched at the restaurant was humiliating.  I…like you.  You’re nice, and I didn’t think you deserved to have that done to you.  I figured if you stuck that letter under the door, you had no idea he was gone.  Plus, if I didn’t come down here, I’d have been left with that picture, and I wouldn’t have known how to get it back to you.  I didn’t think that was something you’d want.”

 

Castiel had been playing with the corner of the envelope as he listened, and when Dean fell silent he broke out in a smile that was absolutely dazzling.

 

“Thank you, Dean.  You’re a gentleman.”

 

“My aunt would smack me upside the back of my head if I was anything but.”  Dean laughed, even though he wasn’t joking.  Ellen really would do it.

 

The food arrived, and they talked as they ate.  Dean noticed that in a more relaxed setting, Castiel was even friendlier.  He also had one hell of an intense stare.  It was sort of hot as well as intimidating.  The waiter returned to clear away their plates and then came back with a complimentary chocolate covered strawberries and what looked like bite-size chocolate truffles.

 

“On the house for the couple.”  The man smiled and bowed before leaving again.

 

“This is the most interesting date I’ve ever been on,”  Castiel mused as he picked up one of the strawberries.  Dean had been reaching for one of the truffles but stopped to look at him.

 

“This is a date?”

 

Castiel’s cheeks flushed, and Dean found him to be even more beautiful.

 

“I…would like it to be, yes.  Would you?”

 

Dean quickly nodded.  “Yeah, I would, actually.  I just…didn’t want to get my hopes up.  Or be like, a backup.  Can I ask, how serious were you were Balthazar?  Were you in love with him?”

 

Castiel grimaced and waved his hand dismissively.  “No, not at all.  I liked him and I thought he liked me, but we were nowhere near love.  And I’m glad for that.  I had the feeling like he was a playboy, and I didn’t want to be just another broken heart.  I’m wishing now that I’d said no every time he asked me out and not given in.  You are certainly _not_ a backup.  I’m sorry if you felt that way.”

 

“Do you think maybe I could take you out sometime?  I don’t have a lot of time, but I’ll make some for you.”  Dean held his breath and waited.  That dazzling smile returned, and Castiel reached over with his free hand to place it over Dean’s.

 

“I would like that.  What did you have in mind?”

 

Oh, Dean had tons of ideas for places he could take Castiel, but he didn’t want the man to think he was too childish.  There were museums, independent films, poetry readings, all sorts of places they could go.  His hesitation got the other man smiling even wider.

 

“Are you trying to think of something that will impress me?”

 

Dean blushed and ducked his head.

 

“There’s a lot of places I could take you.  I’m trying to think of someplace nice.”

 

“Well, this was out of character for me tonight.  I’m usually a burgers and beer kind of guy.  How about…”  He wove his fingers through Dean’s and squeezed.  “We go see the new Resident Evil movie?  I love horror films, and that’s one of my favorite series.  I love the games too.”

 

Excitement suddenly coursed through Dean. Castiel liked burgers and horror movies? He fought the urge to do a fist pump and settled for grinning.

 

“Awesome.  When did you have some time?”

 

“Well, I’m free most evenings, as long as I don’t have a lot of grading to do.  And I don’t currently.  How does Friday night sound?”  Castiel asked.

 

“Yeah, ok, that works for me too.”  Dean said quickly.  He’d make sure he got all of his homework done immediately after his last class of the day.  “I’m done with classes at 4:30.  I should be done with homework by 5:30, 6 at the latest.”

 

“How about I pick you up?” Castiel finally picked up one of the strawberries and bit into it. He groaned at the burst of sweet fruit and chocolate that flooded his senses. Dean found himself helpless not to stare, the truffle poised halfway to his mouth. Castiel chuckled and plucked the ball of chocolate from his fingers and held it out until Dean got the hint and bit into it.

 

“Mmm, they’re good.  I don’t think I’ve ever had one before,” he said once he had swallowed it.  Castiel grabbed another one and took a bite.  He nodded in approval.

 

“It is good.  Still think I like Lindor truffles better though.”

 

Dean laughed at that.  “Yeah, those are pretty good.  I like the white chocolate ones, and the milk chocolate with the peanut butter centers.”

 

The conversation turned to their interests and for all the time Dean had spent putting Castiel up on a pedestal, he was relieved to find that the man was pretty down to earth after all.  They had a lot of the same interests, including classic rock, video games, and TV shows.  When the dessert was all gone, the waiter returned with the bill.  Castiel took it and slipped his card into the folder and set it down on the table to wait for their waiter to come back and charge it.

 

“Where did you park?”  Dean asked.

 

“I didn’t, I took a cab.”

 

“From your place or from the hotel you mentioned in your letter?”  Dean didn’t want him hailing a cab in this weather.  He fully planned to drive him to wherever he wanted to go.

 

“I came from my apartment.  I plan to cancel the hotel.  I just want to go home and go to bed.”  Castiel frowned, and Dean knew he was going to have to eat at least one night’s charge for that room.

 

“If you want to stay at the hotel, I’ll drop you off.  You paid for it, you might as well enjoy it.” 

 

Castiel shook his head.  “No, there would be no enjoying it.  I’d be sitting there angry and resentful.  I’d rather just go home to my own bed, where I can curl up with a cup of tea and read for a little bit before bed.”

 

Dean understood that all too well.

 

“That’s fine.  I’m driving you home though.  The snow is still falling pretty thick, which means cabs and Ubers will take hours.  And I don’t mind it.  Wait til you see my car.  She’s my pride and joy.  The only thing my dad thought to give me when I was getting ready to leave for college.”

 

The waiter charged Castiel’s card and then they were standing up to put their coats on.  Dean came around the table to hold Castiel’s up so he could slip his arms into it.  It was nothing fancy, just a tan trench coat, and he worried that the man wouldn’t be warm enough in it.  He put his own coat on and offered an arm.  His stomach did a flip at the smile Castiel gave him before grabbing the envelope and rose off the table and slipping his arm through Dean’s.

 

Outside the snow was falling even faster.  Thick snowflakes landed on their coats and in their hair, and when Dean looked over at Castiel, there were even some on his lashes.

 

“You are absolutely stunning, you know that?”  Castiel blurted.  His blue eyes widened with surprise at his own bluntness.  Dean grinned.

 

“You’re gorgeous, but you probably already knew that.”

 

Castiel leaned into him as they walked towards the parking lot.

 

“I’ve not really heard that all that often.  Thank you.”

 

“It’s the truth, Cas.  But part of that is your personality.  You’re like, the nicest guy too.  I thought that back when I was taking your courses.  I’m really glad you’re giving me a chance here.”  Dean was being honest.  It meant everything that Castiel had agreed to go out with him.  Again, technically.  He didn’t want to screw this up.

 

“I always knew you were sweet, Dean.  Holding the door for me after class, coming down here tonight to make sure I was alright.  I like you even more than I initially did.”

 

They reached the car, and Castiel was suitably impressed by her.  Dean raved about how he maintained his car, and once they were safely inside and out of the freezing cold, he got her started, smiling as she purred.  He turned the heat on full blast while they waited for her to warm up so he could drive.

 

During that time Dean showed Castiel his tape collection and let the man select something for them to listen to on the drive to his apartment.  When the car was finally warmed up and they pulled out of the parking lot, they were held up by traffic.  Suddenly everyone had forgotten how to drive.  After a few minutes of quietly listening to the music, Castiel turned to look at him.

 

“Thank you.  For tonight.  I really did have a lovely evening.”

 

Dean didn’t dare take his eyes off the road, but he still smiled.

 

“Yeah, I had a great time too.  I expected to drop that off, tell you about Balthazar, and go back to my dorm to eat pizza and watch the episode of Dr. Sexy that aired tonight.  I didn’t expect a fancy dinner and champagne.  So thank _you_ for that.”

 

Castiel smiled happily as he looked down at the rose in his hand.

 

“What time should I pick you up Friday?”

 

Dean did a quick run through of his Friday checklist.  Classes till 4:30, then homework.  So homework finished by 5:30 if he got most of it completed in class, a quick shower after that, shaving, dressing…

 

“I think I can be ready by seven.”

 

“Alright.  We’ll do dinner then head over to the theater,”  Castiel said.  Something dawned on Dean.  When they came to a red light he looked over at the other man.

 

“If you have a car, why didn’t you drive tonight?”

 

Castiel shrugged.  “It’s a hybrid and it really doesn’t like the heavy snow, so when I saw it was coming down pretty thick again, I opted to take a cab.  Plus, I’m not used to driving in this.  I grew up in Florida.”

 

Dean chuckled.  Florida.  Why did that not surprise him?

 

“Well, if it’s still snowing Friday, I’ll come get you.”

 

Castiel smiled happily.  “I’m ok with that.”

 

A five minute ride took them twenty with the still-falling snow. They avoided two accidents and when they pulled up in front of Castiel’s building they both heaved a sigh of relief.  Car was safe, they were safe, and they had a date.

 

“Be safe driving home.”  Castiel unbuckled his seatbelt and turned in his seat to face him.

 

“I always am,”  Dean replied, maybe a touch too cocky, but he knew he was a safe driver.  Castiel looked at the rose in his hand for a moment before holding it out.

 

“Here.  I know it wasn’t originally intended for you, but…”  He was blushing again.  “I’m glad you came.  You were better company than he ever could have been.  I have to say, I wish his fiancée luck if she’s going to be dealing with him for the rest of her life.”

 

Dean laughed as he accepted the flower.  He brought it to his nose and smelled it.

 

“I feel like I just won the lottery.  My crush acknowledging me and not brushing me off, it’s like a dream come true.”

 

“I’m still more than a little in awe that you liked me all this time.  I wish I’d known sooner.  I’d have asked you out after the last of my classes that you were in,”  Castiel said.

 

“Well, guess we start from here, right?”  Dean asked.  Castiel scooted closer on the seat.

 

“Would I be out of place if I asked for a kiss?”

 

Dean’s heart leapt into his throat.  He swallowed hard and shook his head.

 

“N-no, not at all.”

 

It was slow, cautious, soft, dry lips pressing against his own.  Every dream he’d ever had about this moment was suddenly coming true.  His hands slipped inside of Castiel’s open coat and pulled him even closer.  Castiel opened willingly to him and he eagerly slid his tongue into the other man’s mouth, tasting chocolate and something more, something inherently _Castiel_.  It made his head spin.  Before his blood started rushing south, he pulled back and placed a chaste kiss on Castiel’s cheek.

 

“We forgot to exchange numbers.”

 

Castiel chuckled and pulled his phone out.  “Give me yours.”

 

They traded numbers and then Dean got out to open his door and walk him up to his apartment.

 

“You really are a gentleman,”  Castiel mused.  Dean smiled.  He didn’t think he’d ever smiled so much as he had tonight in his entire life, but he couldn’t help it.

 

“I have manners, that’s all.  I’ll see you Friday?”

 

Castiel nodded, kissing him softly one last time.

 

“Goodnight, Dean.”

 

“Night, Cas.”

 

The door closed behind Castiel, and Dean headed back down to his car.  This had been an unexpected but amazing night.  He was so glad he’d decided to come down to the restaurant rather than just call.  Friday was only three days away.  He couldn’t wait for it to get there.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are always welcome. Thank you for reading. Stay tuned in, more fics are coming!


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